MELBOURNE, Fla., Nov. 26, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Dale Burton, vice president of Technology and Chief Technology Officer for Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Integrated Systems sector has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Burton was nominated and elected by peers for his innovations and leadership in the development, testing, and fielding of the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS).

"Election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is among the highest professional distinctions an engineer can attain," said Scott Seymour, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. "It honors those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, and to the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology."

"This recognition is quite an honor," said Burton. "Among the 50 or so people inducted with me, there were members of academia, engineers, other mathematicians as well as men and women who have founded their own companies. As a member of the NAE, I look forward to fulfilling the responsibilities of providing guidance and support for the engineering community."

Burton joined Northrop Grumman in July 1987 as a lead engineer and was promoted to chief systems engineer a year later. He later led the Joint STARS engineering flight test system integration and flight test effort to a successful completion, which was capped by the "Early Look" and European operational field demonstrations in 1990.

The U.S. Air Force E-8C Joint STARS is the most advanced targeting and battle management system in the world. The system, based on a Northrop Grumman-remanufactured B707-300 commercial aircraft, conducts ground surveillance, enabling commanders to develop an understanding of the enemy situation, and to support attack operations and targeting.

As technical advisor to the engineering department and a member of the full-scale development team, Burton flew 37 Joint STARS combat missions in Desert Storm and was one of several company civilians to receive an Air Medal from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for his work. Upon his return, he was appointed director of advanced systems. He later served as deputy program manager for Joint STARS; chief engineer and deputy department manager of engineering, technology and integrated logistics support; vice president of engineering, logistics and technology; and vice president of advanced architectures for the advanced capabilities development organization.

Burton earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and earned a Doctor of Science degree in applied mathematics from Florida State University in 1981. He served as a member of the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board from 1994 through 1998.

The NAE, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a private, independent, nonprofit institution that was founded in 1964. It has more than 2,000 peer-elected members and foreign associates, senior professionals in business, academia and government who are among the world's most accomplished engineers. They provide the leadership and expertise for numerous projects focused on the relationships between engineering, technology, and the quality of life.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.